Speeches

Bob utilised a Westminster Hall debate on the West Bank to draw attention to Israel’s history of dealing with settlements in relation to peace. In 2005, Israel destroyed the Jewish settlements in Gaza and withdrew from them. In 1982, in return for peace with Egypt, it withdrew from Sinai, destroying the settlements as part of the peace agreement. In fact, only last month, the outpost of Ulpana was ruled illegal by the Israeli courts. Israel has withdrawn from that and will demolish it.

During Health questions Bob warmly welcomed the improvements in screening, diagnostics and treatment for those suffering from cancer, but noted that patient outcomes are wildly different. For some, 10% of treatment will be successful, for others, 85% will be, and this means that we need more research to highlight which drugs and treatments should be introduced. Bob made a bid for part of the surplus to be directed to the expensive equipment that is required to make such research happen, so that ...

Many countries outside the UK have legal systems that are based on ours, and this is particularly true in the Commonwealth. Bob asked what the Secretary of State for Justice has done to market the legal services in the UK to those countries.To read this debate in full, Click Here

Bob raised the concerns that it is clearly vital that we rebuild confidence in the banking system after this further scandal, but there are questions to ask about what compliance regime was going on in Barclays during the mid-2000s and in every other bank. Bob asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he agreed that no matter what the regulations are, it is now vital that the banks come out with a clear, transparent and independent compliance regime to make sure that people who disobey the r...

Bob referred to earlier in this week, when the Prime Minister made an excellent speech about the future strategy for benefits. The key issue that he made clear was that work will always pay but that benefits would be available for those who cannot work. Incredibly, the Labour party opposes a benefit cap and set up, when in government, a huge and complicated system of benefits. Bob Blackman requested a debate on the future strategy for benefits, so that we can pin down, once and for all, where th...

Bob supported Clause 4 of the Bill and recognised that if an individual is in a queue to vote before the closing time of 10pm their vote should still count. This matter has been raised on a number of occasions and was again relevant in light of the 2010 General Election. Problems again arise when two elections are held on the same day, for example the 2004 London Mayoral Election and the European Election. Long queues often form and there can be confusion at polling stations.

Bob spoke during Foreign and Commonwealth questions to ask whether the Minister agrees that there is a massive difference between what is going on in Jammu and Kashmir and in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. In Jammu and Kashmir, there is free access for the press, Amnesty International and every other international body that wants access to see what is going on. In Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, what is almost lawlessness still prevails. Bob asked that the problems of the region as a whole are be...

Bob asked the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, and Skills to confirm that high-performing individuals in successful companies that perform within the proper corporate governance have nothing to fear from proposals regarding Director’s pay, but that those companies that do not follow best practice clearly do have something to fear. Bob asked whether the Government are proposing guidance on what would be best practice. To read this debate in full, Read More →